By Heather Anderson
Making his initial foray into group company, Supreme Profit lived up to his name admirably, passing the US$1-million mark in career earnings with a one-length victory in the HK$3-million 1800m G3 The Centenary Vase H. at Sha Tin Sunday.
The 15-2 shot raced in sixth two deep as 2015 Hong Kong champion stayer Helene Super Star (War Front), formerly Lines of Battle, covered the first three furlongs in :37.10 with Romantic Touch just off his flank. Sensing a slow pace, Chad Schofield gave Supreme Profit his cue shortly thereafter, and he duly obliged, rolling past rivals on the backstretch and straight to the head of affairs. Traveling the first 1000 metres in 1:01.31, the scarlet-blinkered Supreme Profit angled to the fence on the final bend and dropped the hammer on his foes, edging away to a 1 1/2-length advantage inside the final 200 metres. With his final half-mile divided into virtually identical splits of :22.89 and :22.84, Supreme Profit still had a length to spare from the rapidly closing Basic Trilogy, with Romantic Touch 1 3/4 lengths back, a neck ahead of Helene Super Star. Heavily favored at 13-10, Helene Charisma (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}), with Joao 'Magic Man' Moreira aboard, could only manage seventh after a troubled trip.
“When the pace was so slow, it just didn't suit me at all,” said Schofield. “I was three pairs back and it was going to be a sit and sprint which he wouldn't have enjoyed, so I let him stride with the light weight and stride he did. I kept him rolling the whole way, from the 1000-metre mark, pretty much, and with the light weight they couldn't pick him up.”
Purchased for A$320,000 out of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Hong Kong International Sale Executive Manager Mark Richards, Supreme Profit sold for HK$3.3 million as Lot 1 in the December 2012 Hong Kong International Sale, but had an eventful journey to the winner's circle. After joining trainer Danny Shum's yard, Supreme Profit required surgery on a twisted intestine, which set him back for quite some time.
“As a result of that operation, we had to wait for more than a year before he made his Hong Kong debut [in January 2014], and at the time he was very fat and carrying a lot of condition,” recounted winning trainer Danny Shum, who was winning his first group race since Little Bridge (NZ) (Faltaat) won the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot in June 2012. “If you asked me early this season what I would have expected from this horse, I would have said he could win one race. But today, he has scored win three, so it was a bit of a surprise to me. Mark was obviously right, he just needed time to mature.”
Off the board in a Sha Tin Class 2 going 1600 metres to start his season Oct. 8, Supreme Profit improved to fourth going this distance locally Oct. 23. He dropped a spot against similar cut back to a mile Nov. 20, but rebounded for a victory over 1800 metres at Happy Valley Dec. 7. Making it back-to-back victories returned to Sha Tin Dec. 27, the dark bay ran sixth last out over course and distance Jan. 22.
Pedigree Notes…
The best foal out of his SP dam, Supreme Profit is a half-brother to Australian GSP Kachina (Aus) (So You Think {NZ}) and a full to SP Zombie Dancer (Aus). Out of the winning Sun Song (Aus) (Desert Sun {GB}), Supreme Profit's second dam is a half-sister to the seven-time Australasian Horse of the Year Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}). Sun Song has an unraced filly of 2014 named Reposition (Aus) (So You Think {NZ}), she was barren in 2015 and foaled a filly by Dissident (Aus) in the fall of 2016. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Moreira Hits 500…
Moreira still enjoyed a banner day however. The Brazilian rode three winners on the card: Bravo Watchman (Aus) (Congrats) in the Cineraria H., Mambo Rock (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) in The Heung Yee Kuk Cup H. and the Orchid H. aboard Western Express (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), which brought his total to 500 victories in Hong Kong. The two-time champion rider in Hong Kong had two wins in December of 2012 and began competing in Hong Kong in earnest in October of 2013.
“The milestone, it means a high five,” said a cheeky Moreira to a waiting crowd after the last. “It's very nice to get to that mark, but I think we're going to stretch that number out a little bit yet, don't worry.”
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CENTENARY VASE H.-G3, HK$3,000,000 (US$386,720/£309,772/€358,524/A$503,279), SHT, 2-5, 3yo/up, 1800mT, 1:47.04, gd.
1–#@SUPREME PROFIT (AUS), 113, g, 6, by Encosta De Lago (Aus)
1st Dam: Sun Song (Aus) (SP-Aus), by Desert Sun (GB)
2nd Dam: Sunny Song (Aus), by Simonstad (NZ)
3rd Dam: Songline (NZ), by Western Symphony
(A$320,000 Ylg '12 MMGCYS; HK$3,300,000 HRA '12 HKJCIS).
O-Mr & Mrs William Yem Wai Lai; B-Orpheo Pty Ltd (NSW);
T-Danny Shum; J-Chad Schofield. HK$1,710,000. Lifetime
Record: 36-9-3-0, $1,017,559. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Basic Trilogy (NZ), 117, g, 5, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Gold
Class (NZ), by Gold Brose (Aus). (NZ$100,000 Ylg '13 NZBPRE).
O-Francis Yip Chi Hung; B-W Pegg (NZ); T-John Moore.
HK$660,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Romantic Touch (Aus), 129, g, 6, Northern Meteor (Aus)–
Dearness (Aus), by Snippets (Aus). O-Ming Shui Sum & Alice
Ming Bo Ting; B-Gooree Park Stud Pty Ltd (NSW); T-Tony Cruz.
HK$345,000.
Margins: 1, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 7.50, 6.90, 5.30.
Also Ran: Helene Super Star, The Alfonso (Aus), Flame Hero (NZ), Helene Charisma (Fr), Horse of Fortune (SAf), Harbour Master.
Click for the HKJC chart or the HKJC PPs. HKJC Video.
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